The Lone Survivor
by mathmaster12
Summary: Next to him Tony whispered, "Why her? Why didn't he kill her too?" No one responded, none of them knew the answer. All they could do now was stand there and watch the little girl as she finally fell asleep. They had failed so many people today, but they could at least try to protect her now. Maybe they could avenge this lone survivor.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own the Avengers.**

"I'm just saying what's wrong with doing a little marketing?" Tony Stark said his usual cock grin on his face as he walked down the hallway of the helicarrier with Dr. Bruce Banner.

Bruce rolled his eyes and replied dryly, "Because the other guy is dangerous, Tony." Since they had left the tower together they had been arguing over putting Hulk themed merchandise, more specifically Hulk toys, back into stores. A few weeks after the Battle of Manhattan Bruce had found out that Tony had made merchandise for all of the Avengers, and he had already gotten it all put into stores. After he had found out Bruce had forced Tony to recall almost all of the Hulked themed junk. The only thing he had allowed Tony keep selling were the Hulk band-aides, and it had taken a lot of convincing from Tony for him to agree to even that much. However Tony continued to try and convince him to put all the Hulk junk back into stores. Tony had used every argument he could think of to convince him, but so far Bruce hadn't caved.

If Bruce was being honest he really didn't mind having this conversation. After the battle of Manhattan almost a year ago, Tony had given him an entire floor as well as his own lab in Stark Tower and saw to it that Bruce never even thought about leaving. During that time Tony had made it his job to convince Bruce that he was not dangerous; he did everything from poking him with annoying sharp objects to constantly pestering Bruce to let him put Hulk toys back into toy stores. But for most of the year they just spent their time, as Tony put it, "doing their science-bro thing" as well as saving the world every other week.

It turns out that being a superhero isn't a one-time thing; people expected you to do it again. That's why they were currently on Shield's helicarrier, again, to most likely discuss how someone was trying to destroy the earth, again, and how they were going to have to stop them, again. These where the days Bruce questioned what the hell was happening to his life.

Tony tossed his arm around Bruce's shoulder shaking him out of his thoughts. "Come on Brucey. If you give him half a chance you'd realize the Big Guy's not that bad. A little moody at times, but not that bad. I bet he'd love kids." He couldn't hold back the shudder at the idea of the other guy going anywhere near a child. Though he wasn't entirely certain about how many people he'd killed, as far as he knew he had never actually killed a child yet and he wanted to keep it that way.

"That's not going to happen Tony." He sighed shaking Tony's shoulder off of him, "ever." Tony muttered something that Bruce couldn't make out as they entered the briefing room.

They had barely made it three steps into the room before they were man handled into a bone crushing hug. "My friends! It's good to see you both!" Thor shouted before letting go of them. Bruce had to step back and take a few deep breaths to bring his heart rate back down.

Tony recovered much quicker to the hug than he did and gave Thor an amused smile as he smoothed out his clothes. "Hey Point Break, back from Asgard already?"

Thor's smile dropped a bit. "I wish I came with better tidings." He said, Bruce took a minute to really look him over. While he was dressed pretty much the same as he had been the last time I had seen him there were dark circle under his eyes. "There is trouble on Asgard. My brother has escaped, and he has returned to Midgard."

"Any idea what his planning this time, Thor?" Steve asked, always a soldier, always preparing for the next battle. Bruce scanned the room to see who else was there besides Steve and Thor, Clint and Natasha were also sitting at the conference table next to Steve. Bruce nodded to them before he took a seat across from them. Tony sat down next to him while Thor chose to remain standing.

Thor shook his head leaning against the chair in front of him. "I know only that he has returned to the world." Thor replied letting out a small sigh.

"Think you can be a bit more specific?" Fury asked as he entered the room and stood at the head of the table.

Again Thor shook his head before responding. "I'm sorry I do not know of his exact location."

There was a long pause in which no one said anything before Tony let an awkward cough, "Well, this all feels oddly familiar."

Though they had no real idea where Loki was going to strike they had all agreed it would be best to stay together so they could move out in a moment's notice. However since Tony had thrown a fit over using Shield's 'second rate tech' they had gone back to Stark Tower. Fury didn't like the idea of them not being on the helicarrier, but had reluctantly agreed when Bruce pointed out the Tony had everything they need at the tower plus a quinjet if Shield did somehow manage to find Loki before they did.

So far there was no luck. With no real leads on what Loki was planning they were forced to scan through security footage and theorize what would be his most likely targets.

"I do not believe-"

"Come on Thor you really think-"

"Why don't we all just calm-"

"If you got an idea Cap by all means-"

"If you'd all shut up for-"

So far the only thing they had managed to accomplish was giving Bruce a head ache. Taking off his glasses and cleaning them against his shirt, Bruce took a few slow breaths before speaking. "Guys," he said but they all ignored him, "guys," he said again, "SHUT UP!" He yelled the last of his patience gone.

Everyone stopped talking immediately. Natasha watched him uncertainly, her hand twitching towards her gun. Though it was major progress from when they had first met she was still uncomfortable around him, no matter what form.

Giving her a reassuring smile he continued to talk. "This isn't getting us anywhere. We're doing everything we can from here. The best thing we can do know is just wait."

After a pause Tony was the first to speak, of course, "Come on Brucey you can't be serious. We are the _Avengers_. We are not just going to sit back and wait for-"

The siren for the Avengers to assemble went off. "Sir," Jarvis spoke over the noise, "a 98% match for Loki has been detected."

Tony turned back towards Bruce. "You planned that didn't you?"

"Of course not," he replied giving his lab partner an amused smile.

Everyone else was already springing into action running either going get their gear or heading to roof where the quinjet was parked. Bruce didn't have to prepare for obvious reasons and Tony just had to step outside onto the launch pad for his suit. "Jarvis load the coordinates into the quinjet and the suit." Tony said as he walked off and Bruce followed everyone else to the elevator reluctantly.

As a joke Tony had programmed all of the elevators in the tower to play 'Shoot to Thrill' whenever the Avengers were called to assemble; it had been funny the first few times, but after the tenth time though it was just annoying. While all of the Avengers had their own floor in Stark Towers Tony and Bruce are the only ones that live here full time. The others had spent some time in the tower every now and again. However, none of the other Avengers had been in the tower before when the call to assemble had gone off. So it was mildly amusing to see their confuse expressions as the rock song filled the elevator instead of the usual elevator music. "Tony," was all Bruce said as he covered his ears against the noise.

Clint snorted as he got out of the elevator with a blank faced Natasha and an annoyed looking Steve to grab their weapons and suit up leaving Bruce and Thor alone on the elevator. Thor was staring at the ceiling with a smile on his face, "This song, I like it!"

"I'll get Tony to put it on an iPod for you," Bruce replied dryly not taking his hands off from his ears. Before Thor could ask what exactly an iPod was the elevator doors opened and they stepped out onto the roof.

Tony landed near the two of them, now fully dressed in his armor. "Hey Point Break you flying with me or hitching a ride?" He asked lifting his face plate up.

"I shall accompany you Man of Iron." Thor replied as the lifted off of the roof without another word.

Bruce rolled his eyes as he entered the quinjet to wait for the others. He took his seat close to door of the quinjet. He paused for a minute before speaking, "So, Jarvis, where are we heading?"

"Approximately 45 miles Southeast of Rochester, New York; to a small town called Rayville." Jarvis replied.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "What's he doing there?" He muttered.


	2. Chapter 2

**I still don't own the Avengers (Do I have to write this on every chapter?)**

These were the moments that Bruce felt the most left out of the Avengers. In the quinjet heading to whatever disaster they needed to face the other Avengers would discuss tactics; who should be where and do what when. The first few times Cap had given Bruce instructions on what the Hulk should do, but none of it seemed to get through and Cap ended up just having to repeat himself even if the instructions were as simple as 'Hulk smash.' So to save time Cap just told him to either stay on the quinjet until they knew he was needed or to just Hulk out immediately after they landed. That left Bruce to just sit down in the back of the jet and wait while the others figured out the best strategy to not get themselves killed.

That was another thing that separated him from the team. He was practically invincible. While the rest of the team was risking their lives every mission doing what they did he wasn't in any real danger. Of course Thor was just as impervious to death, but he had only actually fought with them once at the Battle of Manhattan, so it wasn't entirely the same. The rest of them: Tony, Steve, Natasha, and Clint, could be killed at any moment.

"Be there in five." Clint shouted from the pilot seat cutting off Bruce's train thoughts. Steve and Natasha got up from their seats and did one last check of their weapons and armor.

"Stay here until we need you." Steve ordered. He only nodded. "Iron man, Thor do you have eyes on Loki?" Steve asked into his ear piece.

_"Yeah, approximately 50 meters south of your location. He isn't really hiding." _Tony replied.

Steve frowned, "What's he up to?"

_"Nothing. He appears to only be sitting." _Thor answered this time. This time Bruce frowned. Were they too late? Had Loki already done…whatever he had come here to do?

"Are you serious?" Steve asked sharing Bruce's confusion.

Tony came over the com again. _"Thor rights. Nothing seems wrong, except it is a little quiet out here, but Reindeer-games doesn't seem to be doing anything."_

"Alright proceed with caution we're landing now." Steve replied sending a worried look towards Natasha. "What do you think?"

Natasha thought for a minute. "Loki was well prepared the last time we fought him. I doubt he escaped Asgard just to be locked up again. Whatever he's doing he's planned it out."

"Let's just get him off of this planet as fast as possible." Clint said fingering one of his arrows. Steve nodded stiffly walking down ramp with Natasha and Clint following close behind him, while Bruce just stayed in his seat of the quinjet…and waited.

For a minute there was nothing but static over the com system, and then the first few shots rang out. They were actual shots not repulser blasts or lighting, so that meant it was probably Natasha or possibly Clint. In the back of his mind Bruce could feel the Hulk stir, pushing towards the front of his mind, Bruce took a few deep breaths and shoved him back down. "Not yet, not yet," he mumbled low enough so that it wouldn't be heard over the com.

Bruce continued to take slow steady breaths as he listened to the battle raging on outside waiting for Cap to call him. There was almost a rhythm to it all: the gun fire, the repulser blasts, Cap ordering the others to attack from different directions, the sound of destruction. It all came together in familiar pattern, like some kind of order in all of the chaos. All Bruce could do was sit and wait until he was need or the fight was over.

And then it all stopped. Bruce blinked fumbling to take off his com to see if it was broken. Before he could take it off Cap's voice shouted through the com, "Doctor we need you out here now!"

Bruce scrambled to put his com back. "Alright, just give me a second to change." He said rushing to take of his shoes considering taking his shirt off as well, but decided against it.

Before he could get out of the quinjet Cap's voice came back over the com again. "No, we need you doctor not the Hulk." That made Bruce freeze. In all the time that they had worked together they had never really need him, only the Hulk.

"Alright," he mumbled half to himself as he put his shoes back on and stumbled towards the entrance of the quinjet.

Before he could even reach it though Tony's voice came over the com. "No, Bruce stay there. Everybody else get back inside the quinjet _now_."

"Stark," Cap started, but Tony didn't let him finish.

"Just get in the quinjet," He shouted, "There's nothing we can do. They're all dead Cap. Everyone in this town is dead. Now get back in the quinjet NOW." What the hell was he talking about?

For a second nothing happened, but then they all came rushing back in to the quinjet. Thor was carrying an uncurious Loki over one of his shoulders. As far as Bruce could tell none of them were seriously hurt; just a few minor cuts and bruises. Tony was the last one inside and as soon as he got there he shut the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked looking towards Tony.

The others turned to face him as well, but he only shook his head though as he took off his helmet. "Jarvis," he said, "tell them what you told me."

"Sir," Jarvis responded over the quinjet's speakers, "my scans detect that there are no other living beings within a four mile radius of our location. While I cannot detect any air borne pathogens it would be best for you to remain inside until SHEILD arrives."

"Are you saying that he killed everyone?" Clint asked, "How the fuck did he do that?"

"I do not know Agent Barton." Jarvis replied.

**Big thanks to CBCFangirl12 for reviewing my first chapter! I hope you like this one too.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I forgot to put this at the top of my first chapter so I'm writing it here. This story is taking place a few months or so after the events of the Avengers and before the events of Ironman 3. So the events of Ironman 3, Thor 2, and Captain America 2 are not a part of this story. Oh and I still don't own the Avengers. That is all.**

The others used the time they were waiting for Shield to arrive to fill Bruce in on exactly what happened during the battle while he had been waiting in the quinjet. Apparently nothing had seemed too out off placed when they had first started fighting. Thor had been the one who had managed to knock Loki out. It was once the battle was over that it became clear that something was very wrong. Cap had been the one to find the first body and he had immediate called for Bruce. Tony had Jarvis scan the area and then when he discovered just how bad the situation really was had ordered everyone back.

While Jarvis was relatively certain there wasn't anything dangerous in the air, they had all stay put in the quinjet just to be safe. Natasha had sent word to SHIELD about was happening immediately, while Thor dealt with the still unconscious Loki. As they waited for SHIELD's hazmat team to figure out exactly what the hell Loki had done, everyone stared out the front of the jet. There wasn't a single car, person, or animal alive out there. Everything was completely still, it was almost peaceful. Only the motionless bodies just visible from where they were looking gave away just how bad it truly was. Even the Other Guy wasn't making a sound in the back of Bruce's mind.

As soon as the first SHIELD agents, all dressed in haze mat suits, arrived they were all rushed into quarantine while Loki was shoved into a temporary cell until he could be safely transported to the helicarrier. No one said anything as they were ordered to strip down and take a decontamination shower, not even Tony. They were all given a pair of blue scrubs to change into and preceded to be poked, prodded, and examined by Shields medical staff. Bruce wondered in the back of his head how they had managed to get everything set up so fast, but he said nothing.

In all it probably took less than three hours for them to get cleared by medical, with the understanding they were supposed to come back if any of them so much as sneezed. They only had enough time to change out of the scrubs and into some of their own clothes before they were yanked into a meeting with Fury.

"How the hell did this happen?" Fury growled leaning forward in his chair at the head of the conference table. They were in the same meeting room they had been in when they first learned that Loki was back on Earth.

At Fury's words the silence that had fallen over them since the quinjet was broken. Cap shifted slightly in his seat before simply replying "We got there too late."

"Tell me something I don't know." Fury said getting out of his seat and pacing about the room, "Our current estimate is that there are over six thousand people dead, and that number is still rising. SIX thousand and we didn't fucking now about until it was already over. Do you have any idea how hard it is going to be to explain this shit to the World Security Council, to the _press_? So one of you had better give me an explanation of how this was able to happen."

And just like that the uncomfortable silence was back with a vengeance as they all shift under the director's gaze like children that had just been scolded. Out of the corner of his eye Bruce could see Tony clenching and unclenching his fists under the table. If Fury kept going like this he was going to get himself punched, if not by Tony than by him. They were already guilty about failing to save an entire town of people they did not need to have Fury driving that point home. Especially when it wasn't even their fault, they had gotten there as fast as they could, what else could they have done?

Bruce was jerked out of his thoughts by the sound of the door being thrown open. "Director Fury," the Shield agent at the door said. However once he saw exactly who else was in the room he seemed to forget the rest of what he was going to say.

"This had better be important," Fury growled as he glared at the agent with his one eye.

The agent swallowed before speaking, "Yes, sir. The containment team has finished securing the town, and they have gotten the final death count. Um, but sir there's a, ah-"

"Spit it out." Fury groaned in frustration.

"They found a survivor," he said, "just one. The containment team is bringing her back aboard now…sir."

And just like that everyone was silent once again.

"How can they not know anything else," Tony muttered.

After they had gotten the news about the survivor the meeting with Fury was pretty much over. Actually, they had all walked out of their meeting with Fury to see the survivor when she got onto the helicarrier, but it wasn't like they had actually been doing anything productive anyway.

Currently Shield's medical team was working around them trying to get a containment room set up for her with every piece of equipment they could possibly think of needing, and a few things that Bruce pretty sure they couldn't possibly need. So far the only thing that anyone seemed to know for certain was that there was one female survivor and she would be in Shield medical in less than a minute.

"Stark," Cap said dully. He only seemed to have half-heard what Tony had said. They were all watching the door waiting for the containment team to return.

Even though they were staring at it they all jumped a little when the door was abruptly shoved open followed by five Shield medics running through dressed in containment suits. However it wasn't the Shield medics that had opened the door.

A girl, about seven or eight years, had pushed through them first and stopped in the middle of the medical bay. The first thing that struck Bruce, besides how small the girl looked, was that she was dressed in Captain America pajamas. They were the kind that was all black except for the little shields that covered the pants and the one large shield across the front of the shirt. The second thing that Bruce noticed was the fear in her eyes as she looked around the medical bay.

Bruce stepped towards her and crouched down so he was at her eye level. "Hey, it alright no one's going to hurt you." He said giving her a reassuring smile. He didn't get a chance to say anything more because almost before he finished speaking the little girl came running at him and rapped her arms around him in a vise grip. Bruce froze. "Uh, it alright," he repeated slowly.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see one of the Shield medics come over. As soon as he place his hand on the girl, however, she cried and squirmed until she was standing behind Bruce with her hands holding onto the back of his shirt. The medic backed away from them and everyone else in the room just stared. This little girl had unintentional latched onto the most dangerous person in the room.

Bruce twisted and tried to shift the girl back in front of him, but that just made her squirm and cry even more. "It's okay. It's okay. No one's going to hurt you," he whispered and just kept repeating that over and over until finally the girl moved back in front of him. She still had a firm hold on his shirt though did not seem like she going to let go any time soon.

"Doctor Banner," the medic who had tried to touch the girl said slowly, "we need to examine her."

Bruce tried to pass the girl over to him slowly, but she just let out another cry and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I think I'm going to have to come too," he said. When he carefully stood up she didn't do anything but tighten her grip on his neck and wrap her legs around his torso. "Alright, I got you." He mumbled as he shifted his arms in order to get a better grip on her. "The doctors are going to have a look at you, alright?" he said already moving to follow the doctors who were giving the two of them a wide berth. Looking over his shoulder at the other Avengers he could see the pain in their eyes. What Bruce noticed most though was the tormented look in Cap's eyes, and as the doors to the containment room closed behind him all Bruce could think about was that the little girl was wearing pajamas with his shield on them.

**Thanks to Armand and unknownperson203 for reviewing my last chapter. I really appreciate it.**


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